BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 908 By: Spiller Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE While current state law requires law enforcement agencies in Texas to enter missing child report information into certain state and federal databases, there is no explicit requirement for these agencies to enter this information into the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Notifying NCMEC could ensure broader awareness and mobilization of resources for child recovery efforts. Additionally, without such an explicit requirement, some missing child cases may not receive the full national attention they require, potentially delaying recovery efforts. H.B. 908 seeks to enhance the effectiveness of missing child investigations, improve coordination in locating missing children, and ensure compliance with national best practices by mandating that law enforcement agencies in Texas promptly enter missing child report information into NCMEC after receiving the report. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 908 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to require a law enforcement agency, on receiving a report of a missing child and regardless of the jurisdiction in which the child went missing, to enter the applicable information relating to the report into the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) immediately, but not later than two hours after the agency receives the report, and to inform the person who filed the report that the information will be entered into NCMEC. H.B. 908 repeals Article 63.00905(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, as added by Chapter 979 (S.B. 2429), Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, to eliminate a duplicate provision. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 908
By: Spiller
Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 908
By: Spiller
Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE While current state law requires law enforcement agencies in Texas to enter missing child report information into certain state and federal databases, there is no explicit requirement for these agencies to enter this information into the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Notifying NCMEC could ensure broader awareness and mobilization of resources for child recovery efforts. Additionally, without such an explicit requirement, some missing child cases may not receive the full national attention they require, potentially delaying recovery efforts. H.B. 908 seeks to enhance the effectiveness of missing child investigations, improve coordination in locating missing children, and ensure compliance with national best practices by mandating that law enforcement agencies in Texas promptly enter missing child report information into NCMEC after receiving the report.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 908 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to require a law enforcement agency, on receiving a report of a missing child and regardless of the jurisdiction in which the child went missing, to enter the applicable information relating to the report into the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) immediately, but not later than two hours after the agency receives the report, and to inform the person who filed the report that the information will be entered into NCMEC. H.B. 908 repeals Article 63.00905(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, as added by Chapter 979 (S.B. 2429), Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, to eliminate a duplicate provision.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
While current state law requires law enforcement agencies in Texas to enter missing child report information into certain state and federal databases, there is no explicit requirement for these agencies to enter this information into the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Notifying NCMEC could ensure broader awareness and mobilization of resources for child recovery efforts. Additionally, without such an explicit requirement, some missing child cases may not receive the full national attention they require, potentially delaying recovery efforts. H.B. 908 seeks to enhance the effectiveness of missing child investigations, improve coordination in locating missing children, and ensure compliance with national best practices by mandating that law enforcement agencies in Texas promptly enter missing child report information into NCMEC after receiving the report.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 908 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to require a law enforcement agency, on receiving a report of a missing child and regardless of the jurisdiction in which the child went missing, to enter the applicable information relating to the report into the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) immediately, but not later than two hours after the agency receives the report, and to inform the person who filed the report that the information will be entered into NCMEC.
H.B. 908 repeals Article 63.00905(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, as added by Chapter 979 (S.B. 2429), Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, to eliminate a duplicate provision.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.